Vapor-vacuum-controller.



F. P. HITCHCOCK.

VAPOR VACUUM CONTROLLER.

APPUCATIGN FILED MAR. 29.- me.

l ,202,999. l Patented Oct. 31, 19H3.

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FREDERICK P. HITCHCOCK, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

VAPOR-VACUUM CONTROLLER.

Lacanau;

Application led March 29, 1916;

To all whom t mag/concern.'

.Beit'iknown that I, FREDERICK P. HrroI-I- Coon, a citizen of the United States, residing,- at* Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and 5 Statelof Missouri, have invented a new and useful VaporVacuum Controller, of which the following is a speciication.

Myinvention relates to vapor-vacuum controllers of the class which are usedin steam heating systems toy facilitate the expulsion ofthe air in the" pipes of the system.

The objects `of myA invention are z-iirst, to provide cheap,adurable and efficient automatic vapor-vacuum controllerI which may be from the system and'exc'lude the atmosphere therefrom; second, to provide afvalve for the outlet which is operable by the thermostatic action ofthe controller; third, toproyi'de a brass ,tube within the' controller which shall expandby the heat of the steamvapory circulating" inthe system; fourth, to provide a seat for the inner end of the'brasstube and a bore thereinadapted to receive a` rod having outwardly of the controller adjustable means responsive' toV the expansive movements of the brass'tube; fifth, to `provide a pivotallymounted lever having a valve at its freer endadapted to close the outlet and provided with fulcruins or knife bearings;r

sixth, to'provide a Sleeve for the outer end of'the rod. andhaving an outwardly extending annular flangey on its inner endv and acupshaped washer engaged by said iiange and adapted to contact the fulcrumbearin'gs onthe valve lever and a spring under tension on the sleeve and pressing,r on said cupshaped` washer; and seventh, to provide a.

Fig; 2 is a view/of thehead ofthe controller Specification of Letters Patent.

connectedy with the common return pipes of the steam heating system to eXpel the air' Patented @ete 3i, into.

sei-iai no. 87,578.

on they line IV-IV in Fig. 1; F ig. 3 is a view of the inner side of the head, taken on the line V`V in Fig; 1;-Fig. 4 is an elevation' of the inner brass tube, in fragments,

Yand showing` the batlier or deflecting` plates attached to itsr sides; Fig'. 5 is` a plan view i'romfthe inner side of the washer at the inner end ofthebrass tube, and F ig. 6 isr anY end view of the cup-shapedY washer on the inner end1 of theY sleeve.

Similar numeralsl of referencerefer' to correspondingpartsthroug'h the several views. Referringto the drawings-The cylindrical outer iron shell 1', is providedwith ai closedendiand an inlet 3,-the latter having' a nipple 4,. secured therein' and connected with they common return pipe 5, ina steam heating system, not shown. An outlet passage 6, is formed in the shell and'coinmuni Cates with an opening in the head, hereafter described, having an annular valve seat 7,

which is formed at the outer end of the out-v let on a head 8.1 The vhead 8, is adaptedto close the opposite endk of the shell, with the exception of the outlet opening 6, anda cir'- cularfopening 9, centrally therethrough and whichV communicates'with` the interior of a` brass tube 10, which ris secured byits outer end to the inner sidev of thekhead by solder-'or any'other suitable means. The brass tube is projectedinto the shell to adjacent the'inlet 3. A seat 11is formed on theinner side of the head at the edge of the openingfQ,

therein, in which seat the brasstube 10, is rigidly secured; A channel 19 is formed on the inner side ofthe head-8, outwardly ad-r jacent the brass tube,iin which channel the shell 1, is rigidly secured by any suitable means-as solder and the like. The'shell 1f, is

expanded outwardly incurved line adjacent the outlet 6, asvshown` atvl, in Fig. l, for the purpose of providing a suitable orifice forthe prompt expulsion of the air from the pipesfinthe' heating system. Acircular plug 14, having?,` an annular seat 15, adapted to ree ceive the inner end of the brass tubey 10, is provided centrally with an inwardly eX- tending boss 16, havinga bore 17, adapted to, receive the@ screw end of a rodlS, which is extended outwardly ofthe 'controller a suitable distance. Verticallyextending posts 19', aresmounte'd on the headA 8, and are adapted to receive a rock shaft 20, which pierces the bowed arms 21, of a lever 22, the latter being provided at its free end with a valve 23, having a stem 24:, piercing the adjacent portion of the lever and provided at its -upper end with an adjusting nut 25, adapted to hold the valve in place. At the inner end of the bowed arms 21, of the lever 22, a transversely extending fulcrum or knife bearings 2G, are formed to substantially register with the rod 18. The fulcrums or knife bearings 26, are designed and located to provide a fulcrum for the lever 22, and to receive the pressure of the mechanism hereinafter described. A guide 27, extending in the form of a semi-circle about the rod 18, is formed integral with the lever 22, but is spaced from the rod a distance adapted to allow the functional vibrations of the lever without contacting the rod. A sleeve 28, is provided on its inner end with an outwardly extending annular flange 29, and is slidably mounted on the outer end of the rod 18. Screw threads are provided on the outer side of the sleeve and are adapted to receive adjusting nuts 80, and a cup-shaped washerv 31, is movably mounted on the inner end of the sleeve. The washer 31, is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange adapted to'engage the flange on the sleeve.

A coiled spring 32, is mounted on the sleeve 28, the inner end thereof is made to press on the washer 31, and its outer end to press on the inner side of the inner nut 30. The tension of the spring forces the edge of the cup-shaped washer 31, to press on the fulcrums or knife bearings 26, thereby forcing the lever 22, and the valve carried` by the lever to its seat, when the rod 18, is moved inwardly by the expansion of the brass tube 10. An adjusting nu 33, is movably mounted on the outer end of the rod 18and is adapted to force the sleeve forwardly to regulate the pressure which opens the valve independently of the adjustment of the spring tension. An upwardly extending outwardly projecting bracket 34, is formed on the onter side of the shell 1, and over-spreads the valve. The projecting portion of the bracket provides a shield or cover for the valve to prevent dust particles and other substances interfering with the valve or valve seat. A bracket 35, is formed on the shell at the opposite end thereof and conforms substantially with the bracket 34, except that the projecting portion is directed inwardly. The brackets are perforated and the perforations adapted to receive fastening devices to fasten or suspend the controller from the ceiling or other support. Plates 36 vare attached on opposite sides of the tube 10, and are-adapted to contact the inner side of the shell 1, for the purpose 0f holding the tube substantially in line.

In steam heating systems the steam vapor rises from the boiler through the circulating pipes and returns tothe boiler by a return pipe which is used in common by the steam, water and air. The air is expelled at the individual radiators connected in the system 0r at a single point in the common return adjacent the boiler, which point is subjected to the control of apparatus adapted to operate by the pressure in the system to permit the expulsion of the air in the pipes.

The vapor-vacuum controller constructed as hereinabove described operates substantially as follows: When the steam pressure rises the air is forced to move in advance of the steam vapor and opens the valve 23, and is rapidly expelled from the entire system. When theV steam vapor enters the controller, the brass tube becomes heated thereby and expands rapidly. The force exerted by the expansion of the brass tube inlongitudinal direction, acting against the plug 14, effects an inward movement of the rod 18, the adj usting'nut 33, carried thereby, engages the outer end of the sleeve 28, and forces the sleeve to move in the same direction, thus bringing the edge of the washer 31, to bear on the fulcrums 26, on the lever 22, and thereby force the valve 23, to its seat, where it remains until the steam pressure shall fall and rise again. The lever 22, is mounted so as to drop by gravity when itis moved inwardly beyond its center of gravity. This provision operates to yhold the valve on its seat when the steam pressure has fallen and the controller is cooled, the atmosphere, at this time, cooperating with the gravity of the lever to hold the valve seated, induced by the partial vacuum in the pipes caused by the receding steam vapor. When the controller cools, the expansion tube 10 contracts and moves the rod 18, back to normal position. The tension of the spring 32, may be adjusted to meet requirements of a positive pressure on the valve, and the sleeve may be adjusted to and from contact with the fulcrum knife bearings 26, by turning the nut 33, in the direction required.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is In a vapor-vacuum controller, the combination with the casing having an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat, of an expansion tube suspended inthe casing and having its inner end closed and its opposite end open to atmosphere, a carrier mounted on the inner side of the closed end of the said tube and projected outwardly of the casing, a lever having pivotally mounted bowed arms surrounding said carrier, said arms being provided with oppositely disposed transverse fulcrum knife bearings, a valve having al stem movably engaged by the free end of said lever and adapted to close the outlet in the casing, a sleeve slidably mounted on the projecting portion ofsaid carrier and Y mounted on they inner end or' said sleeve, the

having an inwardly extending annular means for adjusting the tension of said flange at its inner end, a cup-shaped washer spring, and means for adjusting said sleeve to and from said lever.

FREDERICK P. HITCHCUCK. ltnessed by- GRUNDY YOUNG, T. P. Bone.

peripheral edge of said Washer being adapted to press on the fuleruln knife bearings on said lever, a coiled spring mounted on saol Sleeve and adapted to press on said Washer,

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

